A survey by Litbang Kompas released on Monday found that 80.9 percent of respondents approved of the new government’s performance so far. The remaining 19.1 percent expressed disapproval.

The research arm of Kompas newspaper polled 1,000 people in person nationwide from Jan. 4 to 10, a few weeks before the 100^th day of Prabowo and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s administration, which falls on Jan. 28. The survey had a 3.10 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level.

Litbang Kompas research manager Ignatius Kristanto said the results had “surpassed expectations” given that Prabowo’s predecessor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo only had a 65.1 percent approval rating in his first few months as president.

Ignatius attributed Prabowo’s high rating primarily to the president’s “populist policies”, from social assistance to his free nutritious meals program, which is currently running in some 190 regencies.

“When we did our survey, people were really happy with the social aid Prabowo disbursed in November of last year,” Ignatius said. “And the general reaction to his flagship free meals program was also positive.”

Another of Prabowo’s populist policies, the researcher said, was his decision, hours before the new year, to walk back a sweeping, controversial plan to increase the value-added tax (VAT), which now only applies to luxury goods and services.